AfterDark clock keeps dropping etherregen off network

I have an AfterDark Emperor clock that I use to time an etherregen. Six months ago, it simply stopped timing the etherregen reliably, which dropped the latter (and everything connected to it) off the network.  This happened about every other day or, at worst, every day.

After confirming that the etherregen had no issues by running it off its internal clock and then having @Superdad give it a look-see, I sent the clock off to Hong Kong, where Adrian confirmed that repairs were necessary.  For a fee, he fixed the unit and upgraded it to Emperor Signature SE status.

Since then, I have used it without incident until a couple of weeks ago.  It is up to its old tricks, while the etherregen itself runs okay off the internal clock. 

Before I send this off to Hong Kong again, I ask if anyone else has observed similar behavior from these clocks.  If so, I may apply my funds towards another brand of clock rather than additional repairs.  Has anyone else run across this behavior?

1 hour ago, Mike Rubin said:

Since then, I have used it without incident until a couple of weeks ago.  It is up to its old tricks, while the etherregen itself runs okay off the internal clock. 

Have you tried a different clock cable Mike?

And what power supply are you using for the AfterDark clock?

Call or PM me to discuss this further. I may have an option for you.

2 hours ago, Superdad said:

Have you tried a different clock cable Mike?

And what power supply are you using for the AfterDark clock?

 

Call or PM me to discuss this further. I may have an option for you.

Haven't tried a different cable. Still using the cybershaft that I bought from Uptone. 😁

The power supply is the matching AfterDark LPS. 

Will PM you now rather than call since it is late. Thanks, Alex! 

Sounds to me like a power blip of some sort, so I would think it would be either the LPS or the cable (seeing as how the internal clock works fine). The ER doesn't need much to have to be reset, if the results from the clock itself has a blip. That said, cables have been known to fail from time to time for various reasons. It's always good to have a back up cable (even if it is cheap) just for testing purposes only. IMO/IME

A proper diagnosis of the source of any issue is the hardest part.

Tom

14 minutes ago, treitz3 said:

Sounds to me like a power blip of some sort, so I would think it would be either the LPS or the cable (seeing as how the internal clock works fine). The ER doesn't need much to have to be reset, if the results from the clock itself has a blip. That said, cables have been known to fail from time to time for various reasons. It's always good to have a back up cable (even if it is cheap) just for testing purposes only. IMO/IME

A proper diagnosis of the source of any issue is the hardest part.

 

Tom

Thanks. I don't have another LPS around here, but I do have some 75 ohm BNC cables. Will give one of those a try.

I substituted a second LPS (also After Dark, which I had as a spare) and an Oyaide cable that I used before I got the Cybershaft cable that I removed for testing.  I was up and running for three days, but got disconnected again this evening.  The odds of two LPS being defective in the same way probably exceed the odds of two cables being defective in the same way, but either set of odds should be minuscule. I am confident the clock is the defective device.

Just to be sure, I will revert to the EtherRegen’s internal clock.  If that’s up and running for more than three days, the AfterDark clock goes off to the recycler, as I am not comfortable reselling a product that I don’t trust.  With two units failing within eight months and a $300 plus overseas postage repair cost, I don’t see myself investing in this brand again.

And now it looks as though I may be slandering AfterDark, unfortunately.  I now think the problem is with my ultracap 1.2 power supply.  I can't get the EtherRegen up and running from the internal clock when connected to the ultracap.  When I remove the ultracap and use instead its power brick on the EtherRegen, I can get it back online whether or not the AfterDark clock is connected. 

It currently is running with AfterDark clock and the brick.  If it's still up and running three days from now, I will be sending the ultracap to the recycler rather than the clock.

I don't know if anyone is following this, but I will report back in a few days.

On 8/23/2024 at 12:00 AM, Mike Rubin said:

I now think the problem is with my ultracap 1.2 power supply.  I can't get the EtherRegen up and running from the internal clock when connected to the ultracap.  When I remove the ultracap and use instead its power brick on the EtherRegen, I can get it back online whether or not the AfterDark clock is connected. 

It currently is running with AfterDark clock and the brick.  If it's still up and running three days from now, I will be sending the ultracap to the recycler rather than the clock.

Hi Mike:

While UltraCap units can and do fail, what you report is not consistent with an UltraCap failure.  As mentioned in our private e-mail exchange, the issue may be one of earth grounding.

Always happy to test items for you, but all these elements form a system and can effect one another.

--Alex C.

2 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Hi Mike:

While UltraCap units can and do fail, what you report is not consistent with an UltraCap failure.  As mentioned in our private e-mail exchange, the issue may be one of earth grounding.

Always happy to test items for you, but all these elements form a system and can effect one another.

--Alex C.

Hi, Alex.  I don't intend to bash anyone's product unfairly here, so I apologize for suggesting the LPS is the problem if it is not.

I read and reread the EtherRegen user guide and now realize the EtherRegen should be grounded when using the ultracap. Unfortunately, the guide's suggestion is that the wire be connected to a nearby audio equipment unit chassis. My EtherRegen is in a shelving unit that houses my AfterDark clock, NAS, and network equipment, nearly all of which have plastic, not metal, enclosures. All of the nearby audio equipment is on the other side of the room. 

I know nothing about choosing a grounding solution, but it appears that I might be able to ground to an open socket in a PS Audio Duet power center. Would something like this work, with one end of the wire attached to the EtherRegen post via alligator clip and the other attached to the plug that goes into the electrical outlet? 

Grounding Cord, Ground Cable, Grounding Wire, Ground Wire, Grounding Strap, Ground Strap, Grounding Cable, Anti Static, Grounding Plug - 3-Prong Ground Plug with Alligator Clip - 16.4 Ft https://a.co/d/eb8dZwe

15 hours ago, Mike Rubin said:

I know nothing about choosing a grounding solution, but it appears that I might be able to ground to an open socket in a PS Audio Duet power center. Would something like this work, with one end of the wire attached to the EtherRegen post via alligator clip and the other attached to the plug that goes into the electrical outlet? 

That should work fine—as long as the PS Audio Duet is passing a good earth ground to its outlets. Or you could just plug that ground adapter directly into the wall. 

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

That should work fine—as long as the PS Audio Duet is passing a good earth ground to its outlets. Or you could just plug that ground adapter directly into the wall. 

Thanks, Alex.  Will order this. If there’s a spare wall outlet near the network stuff (I don't think there is, with so many little boxes in one place), I will plug in there. 

It may not be ideal.....but an outlet splitter would work just to test. FYI.

Tom

2 hours ago, treitz3 said:

It may not be ideal.....but an outlet splitter would work just to test. FYI.

 

Tom

How would that work, Tom?  Do you mean I should get an extender if there aren't enough free outlets available? 

Something like this or a plug from anywhere that has a ground that you can add multiples to a certain outlet. 

Tom

Thanks, Tom.  I ordered something like that this morning. Should be here in the next few days. 

For anyone still reading this, I believe I owe both AfterDark and Uptone apologies. The grounding cable that I bought at Amazon seems to have resolved my drama.  I have been up and running for a full week since I added the cable. Fingers crossed that my issue stays resolved.  Thanks, @Superdad, for pointing me at the user manual.

32 minutes ago, Mike Rubin said:

I have been up and running for a full week since I added the cable. Fingers crossed that my issue stays resolved.  Thanks, @Superdad, for pointing me at the user manual.

Glad to know you got working stable at last.  
As much as I enjoy interacting with our clients and helping them, easily 75% of our support emails are about things that are fully covered in the EtherREGEN User Guide. 😐

[What amazes me though is that I wrote that whole manual before anyone in the field ever used an EtherREGEN, yet it still seems to anticipate and answer the vast majority of issues that arise.]

13 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Glad to know you got working stable at last.  
As much as I enjoy interacting with our clients and helping them, easily 75% of our support emails are about things that are fully covered in the EtherREGEN User Guide. 😐

[What amazes me though is that I wrote that whole manual before anyone in the field ever used an EtherREGEN, yet it still seems to anticipate and answer the vast majority of issues that arise.]

I actually read the manual four years ago when I got the EtherRegen, but it didn’t occur to me to look it for this issue.  For one thing, I don’t know how a grounding failure manifests. For another, it’s something that only developed this year, at least as far as I know.  Weird!

Just to follow up, I haven’t had a single disconnect since I followed the manual’s stipulation and grounded the EtherRegen using the inexpensive grounding strap kit that I bought at Amazon.  I would delete this entire thread if I could, because I seem to have reached some wildly inaccurate conclusions before I added the ground.